British Literature from 1798

Catalog description

Focusing on major writers and their cultural contexts, ENGL 222 surveys British literature from 1798 to the present. A remarkable amount of important literature was produced during this period. Students will read major texts like Pride and Prejudice, Hard Times, and Jane Eyre; learn about renowned authors such as William Blake, Charles Dickens, and Virginia Woolf; and be introduced to influential literary forms, such as the dramatic monologue, the gothic novel, and stream-of-consciousness narrative. The tradition of British literature since 1798 evolved over periods of significant political and cultural upheaval and change. Thus students will also learn about the shifting historical and ethical orientations that energized this tradition, from rising industrialization and changing class and gender relations as manifested in Romanticism, Modernism, and Postmodernism. As an introductory survey of British literature, ENGL 222 welcomes non majors; no previous course in literature is required. By reading and discussing some of the best-known works in British literature, students will sharpen their skills of interpretation while surveying important literary traditions and gaining crucial critical insight into an international culture that literally influenced-through its imperial reach-countries around the world.